Lords day now under the Gospel for an holy Sabbath to God because he saith Let no man judge or condemne you in meat or drink c. where Paul shews that we are delivered from the bondage of the observation as of meats so now of Sabbaths But such as oppose the morality of the Sabbath hold it not unlawful to observe a Sabbath now but onely indifferent and arbitrary likewise the Apostles kept the Lords day John 20.19 Acts 20 7. 1 Cor. 16.2 therefore the Sabbath day was mutable from the last day to the first day of the week and that by the authority and power of Christ for he is Lord of the Sabbath and he onely hath power to appoint and change it which it is like he opened to his Disciples Acts 1.3 or if the Apostles altered it they did it by authority and direction from him for Christ promised John 16.13 the Spirit should guide them into all truth therefore into this truth the Sabbath was not cerimonial for the word ceremony comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cherem which is a thing consecrated and devoted to God typifying something to be accomplished in the new Testament but the Sabbath day was no type of the Lords day Paul said the Jewish Sabbaths were shadows but the body is of Christ Col. 2.17 or else the word ceremony comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because ceremonies were to indure but for a time therefore remember to keep holy the Sabbath day now called the Lords day and God will blesse you with great prosperity and comfortable success the week following Vse 4. I told you the fourth Reason was because every godly man is Gods factor the Use arising out of this Reason serves to exhort you all to lie ligier for God be his faithful factors Motives 1. Consider God hath few godly servants in many places Psalm 12 1. Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men and where they be wanting Satans followers sow the tares of errour and impiety from the dayes of the Prophet Malachy until the birth of Christ were four hundred and fifty yeares during which time the Jews had no extraordinary holy Prophet to guide them then sprang up the three sects of Pharisees Sadduces and Essenes 2. Consider how many trade for Satan in most places many swear oathes few fear oathes many prophane the Sabbath few keep it holy many hate and persecute holiness in Christians few do love and honour them for it Christ hath been persecuted three wayes 1. In his person when he lived upon earth we read how his enemies abused him many times 2. In his name for three hundred yeares after his ascention such as bare the name of Christians suffered much misery during the ten persecutions under those bloudy Emperours of Rome 3. For the power of godliness is Christ persecuted in his members and that is now adayes for our enemies Papists and Protestants at large put on a form of godliness and would be accounted Christians but the life of God the power of godliness they hate in the righteous and persecute their persons for it 3. God gives you gifts of knowledge and grace for this end to trade for him imploy your talents diligently for your heavenly Masters honour and at your death he will say Well done good and faithful servant c. Vse 5. I told you the fift Reason was because the godly man is best fitted and prepared for Gods work The Use springing out of this Reason serve first for comfort to the truly godly For first you shall find God ready to save succour and defend you in time of distress Psalm 32.6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him and though thine enemies be mighty to wrong thee yet God is Almighty to protect thee Three kinds of afflictions Gods children meet with here first corrections or chastisements which God inflicts upon them for their sins next are trials which God inflicteth on them to try the truth of their graces as he dealt with Job Last are persecutions when God suffers wicked men to abuse them for holiness yet God in his wisdom useth these three kinds of afflictions to drive them farther from sin as Ionathan shot three Arrows to warn David to beware of Saul 1 Sam. 20.20 2. You have the promises of this and a better life you are heires of them and they are your portion Hebr. 6.17 and they are a worthy portion 1 Tim 48. Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 2. It may serve to exhort you all to labour to be fitted for your heavenly Masters use and prepared to every good work the way and meanes is in 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from this c. that is from these cursed heresies and corrupt teachers and keep himself unspotted from the world by the grace of the holy Ghost dwelling in him then he shall be a vessel unto honour be like the Sun whose body stayes in the heaven yet his light shines upon earth neither can any stinking dunghil on which it shines infect it live so purely that such as be without may in time honour and affect thee for thy vertue not infect thee with their vice Vse 6. I told you the sixt Reason was because onely the heart of a godly man will bow and bend to do God his work The Uses arising out of this Reason serve first to reprove the pride and stubbornness of such hearts as will not bow and bend to do Gods work but say as the Jews to Ieremiah Jer. 44.16 As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee these pray in the Lords Prayer Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven yet in their lives they set themselves to do their own wils and to cross Gods will what cursed dissembling hypocrites are these they cry out of Gods service what a weariness is it they think his service an irksome yoke an intolerable burden but these that will not obey Gods word shall feel his power 2. It may serve to exhort you all to bow and bend heartily to do Gods work withdraw not your shoulder from it but be forward to do it with all your might think it not too mean for it is the work of God think it no loss or prejudice to do it for God will reward thee Directions to help you 1. Set your love exceedingly upon God and it will be your meat to do his will and finish his work love makes labours light indeavour to be able to say truly as the Prophet Psalm 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth that is for love of the Lord of the same sense with the Churches speech in Canticles
heart Vse 2. I told you the second reason was because every godly man sets his heart upon God The Uses arising out of this Reason serve first for information to let us see the reason why Gods children enjoy such precious peace of conscience and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory namely because they set their hearts on God and their entire love to him will assure them of his eternal love to them Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me now this is the principal ground of true peace and joy worldly favour makes carnal people merry outwardly and feeds them with vain hopes it makes them build Castles in the air and puts them into a fooles paradise but the assurance of Gods love fills the heart of the upright with such joy as no man can take from them John 16.22 wicked men may take their lives from them their estates from them their liberty from them but true peace and joy they cannot take from them for they set their hearts on the God of hope who fills them with joy and peace 2. It may inform us one reason why Gods children will not be drawn away from him and his wayes because their hearts are set upon God and they account it their best way to draw near to God all the wealth and honour of Egypt could not draw Moses from God and his People the King of Babylon with all his power terrour and pollicy could not make the three Children worship his Idol nor restrain Daniel from praying to God 3. It serves to exhort you all to get your hearts fixed on God let out all your love to him in as ample a manner as you can let your love be so hot as many waters cannot never quench it nor flouds drown it To move you to it consider first how infinitely amiable and perfect God is when you understand that from everlasting to everlasting he is God without beginning mutation and end strive to love this eternal God when you consider that God fils heaven and earth yea inhabiteth eternity no place can comprehend his incomprehensible essence set your selves to love this omni-present God when you see how easily powerfully and wisely God made heaven and earth with all things else strive to love this omnipotent God when you see how God pitties releives and succours his people in their misery and gives them help in their time of need O set your heartiest love upon this merciful God 2. Consider how eternally and unchangeably he hath loved thee Jerem. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love before thou wast born he loved thee yea when thou wast his enemy he loved thee and he will love thee for ever nothing in this world nor in the world to come shall separate thee from his love 3. Consider what comfort thou shalt have by loving God 1 John 4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him happy is that soul that hath such a guest for God will make any place a heaven to it Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me thy true love to him will assure thee of his love to thee which worldly wealth and honour cannot do Psalm 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him God will be thy defence against danger he will be a wall of fire about thee Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God nothing shall fall out amiss to thee but God by his wisdom and power will give thee an holy comfortable use of all mercies with an holy use of and a comfortable issue out of all miseries Vse 3 I told you the third Reason was because the godly man indeavours to do every thing that God commands him The Uses springing out of this reason serve first to inform us the reason why the godly man is a man after Gods own heart namely because he sets himself to do all Gods will for this cause David was so called Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my will O that every one of us had an heart to do all Gods will then we should be such as God would have us to be a hypocrite doth but some part of Gods commands therefore he is not a man after Gods own heart 2. It informes us one Reason is why God so willingly heares and grants the prayers of his people that is because they indeavour to do all Gods commands 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandement and do those things which are pleasing in his sight Humanity teacheth friends to grant one anothers suits when they please one another much more will the God of nature grace and glory graciously answer the prayers of his people that study to please him 2. It serves to exhort us to endeavour to do all that God requires us to do Motives 1. All his commands are holy just and good Rom. 7.12 Prov. 30 5. Every word of God is pure though carnal nature may cavil against some of Gods commands because they crosse it yet there is no defect in them but the Law of the Lord is perfect 2. To do all Gods will is the ready way to prosperity Job 36.11 If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures God is the best Master to serve his work is the best and his pay is the best And above all Gods commandements I exhort you all to keep the Lords day holy because he in the fourth Commandement bids us remember to keep it holy 2. Because in Isaiah 58.13 14. he makes it an excellent way of honouring him and promiseth spiritual and temporal prosperity to such as do it but if that place be meant of an extraordinary Sabbath that is a fast appointed by man then doubtless the Lord would have us much more keep holy the ordinary Sabbath appointed by God If any object Col. 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes verse 17. which are a shadow of things to come c. I answer he meanes he would not have them observe the Jewish ceremonial Sabbaths of dayes as the three great feasts Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles and the feast of blowing the trumpets and the feast of expiation he would not have them observe the Sabbath of yeares which was every seventh year Levit. 25,4 5 6. nor the Sabbath of sevens of years the Jubile verse 8 9 10 11. which returned every fiftieth year but he speaks not here of the Sabbath day that is morall 1. Because the word is in the plural number Sabbaths 2. If he had meant the moral Sabbath and consequently the Lords day now observed then it would follow that it is unlawful to observe the
I am sick of love if thou hadst ten thousand hearts they are too little and too few to love God with if Christ should ask thee as he asked Peter Doest thou love me more than these do love me let thy heart answer truly without guile Lord thou knowest I love thee 2. Deny thy self in all things that be near and dear to thee our Saviour Math. 16. couselleth every one that would follow him to deny himself from whence we may observe that a mans own self is the greatest enemy to himself self-denyal is a preferring of God before ones self a preferring Gods command before thine own will and his glory before thine own ends 3. Have respect to the recompence of reward this will encourage thee against all difficulties you shall meet withal in Gods work hope of spoil makes the Souldier venture his dearest bloud hope of gain makes the Merchant venture over the deep seas let the Papist with all his merits passe through Purgatory to Heaven if he can look thou and labour thou for an eternal habitation in the highest heavens by the merits of Christ alone the Papists to prove Purgatory urge that in Math. 5.26 Thou shalt by no meanes come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing But if this place be meant of Purgatory then these words are taken either in a metaphorical sense or in a litteral if in a metaphorical sense then purgatory fire is but a metaphorical fire that is none at all but if these words be taken literally then let any Papist answer me these two questions first how much money will serve to pay for ones ransome out of Purgatory for here is the uttermost farthing to be paid 2. How must poor people do that go into Purgatory but want money to pay for their ransome this place is meant of civil debts in this world between man and man Christ would have debtors to pay what they owe to their creditors for fear of imprisonment but this by the way Vse 7. I told you the seventh Reason was because God can trust none but the godly man the Use from hence arising serves to exhort you all to be faithful to God in all the works he sets you about Motives 1. A faithful man shall abound with blessings Prov. 28 20 Joseph was faithful to God and to his Master Potiphar and God raised him to great honour and wealth Jacob Nehemiah David and Daniel were blessed men of faithful spirits and you may read in the Scripture how God blessed them 2. Consider what a comfort and honour it is here in thy life and will be at thy death when the Lord shall say Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Math. 25.23 Hebr. 3.5 Moses verily was faithful in all his house c. it s recorded to his honour 3. Consider how few are faithful to God we may cry out Psalm 12.1 The faithful fail from among the children of men for in many places all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs let the perfidiousness of others incite you to faithfulness betray not Gods cause if you have power and opportunity to advance it rob not God of his honour but whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 4. Consider what a blessed friend God is to you hath he not made you redeemed you a long time preserved you from many perils enriched you with many spiritual and earthly blessings can you have an heart to deal perfidiously with him when your earthly friends forsake you God failes you not he will be a friend in need and a friend in deed to you let all this make you trusty and faithful to him Vse 8. I told you the last Reason was because none will do Gods work so well as the godly man the Use springing from hence is to exhort you godly ones to do Gods work as exactly and as compleatly as ever you can Directions 1. Do his work according to his word for that is the rule of righteousness Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule c. rule all your thoughts words and deeds by this word Isaiah 8.20 to the Law and the Testimony c. that is to the Gospel which is called Testimony in John 32.33 to these must we repair for direction about the doing of Gods work and this is called our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 that is such a service as we can give a reason for out of Gods word it is opposed to will-worship which is a serving of God after the invention of man not according to Gods word let the holy Scriptures be your directory if you do not you will never please God 2. Do Gods work for his own glory his glory is his infinite worthiness whereby he doth far surpass the worthiness of all creatures it is so dear to him that he ordained and made all things for it he would not have made the world but for it he will not give his glory to another Isaiah 42.8 he gives us the comfort of all his mercies and blessings but the glory of them all he reserves to himself matter not what becomes of your own ends so that Gods glory may be advanced think it your greatest honour to honour God the Pharisees gave almes fasted and prayed and all to be seen of men but Christ called them hypocrites for it 3. Do Gods work constantly for to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7 Col 1.23 Continue in the faith Col. 4.2 Continue in prayer Hebr. 13.1 Let brotherly love continue 2 Tim. 3.14 Continue thou in the things thou hast learned and hast been assured of Acts 13.43 Continue in the grace of God Titus 3.8 I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have beleived in God might be careful to maintain good works a hypocrite can do some works for a fit and a start but when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 4. Do Gods work with an upright heart then he will make thee ruler over much blessed is that servant whom when his Master cometh shall find so doing a hypocrite can do Gods work with his hand but not with his whole heart but this God chiefly requires a hypocrite is like a wind-mill whose sails turn about but the body of it stands still so a hypocrite serves God with his lips and hands but his heart moves not it is dead within him but a child of God is like a ship sayling on the Sea whose sails and body both move together so his heart hands lips and tongue go together about Gods work and he is better within then he seems to be without whatsoever work of God ye do do it heartily as to the Lord Col. 3.23 2 Tim. 2.22 call on the Lord with a pure heart Hebr. 10.23 draw neer to the Lord with a true heart 1 Peter 1.22 love one another with a pure heart fervently Rom. 6.17 obey from the heart that form of dâ—ctâ—ine which was delivered to you Math. 22.37 love the Lord with all thine heart Luke 8.15 having heard the word in an honest and good heart keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Labour to be of one heart and of one mind and serve God with gladness and singleness of heart then your heart shall rejoyce in God and your joy shall no man take from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS